The new tool is a single part of the operator’s grand plan to establish autonous networks with high levels of AI automation by 2030
In sum – what to know:
AI ops support – NOA assists engineers with troubleshooting, diagnostics, and recommendations to improve response times and network performance.
Automation expansion – The system supports higher automation levels, including increased handling of network incidents without manual intervention.
AI across network – O2 Telefónica applies AI to planning, optimization, and energy management, alongside broader automation initiatives.
German carrier O2 Telefónica is deploying an AI assistant to support network operations, as part of its broader effort to increase automation across its network infrastructure.
The system, known as Network Operations Agent (NOA), is designed to assist engineers and service managers in identifying and resolving network issues. The telco said the tool analyzes network data and provides recommendations for troubleshooting, with the aim of improving response times and overall network performance. According to the German operator, NOA was developed internally using generative AI technologies.
The AI-based assistant is intended to support day-to-day operational tasks by helping engineers interpret network events and prioritize actions. The new tool can suggest diagnostic steps and highlight potential solutions based on previous cases. The system also allows users to query it directly, receiving responses tailored to different levels of technical expertise. In addition, NOA can be used as a training tool for new employees, offering guidance and explanations in multiple languages, O2 Telefonica said.
O2 Telefónica expects the system to contribute to higher levels of automation in network management. One area of focus is ticket handling, where the company aims to increase the proportion of incidents that can be processed automatically. This could reduce manual workload for engineers and allow staff to focus on more complex cases, it added.
NOA is part of the operator’s broader Autonomous Network Journey, which targets a high level of network automation by 2030. At this stage, systems would be capable of monitoring, analyzing, and resolving many issues independently during normal operations, with human intervention limited to more complex or unusual situations.
The company is already using AI in several areas of its network. These include a digital network twin used for simulation and optimization, as well as tools that detect and prioritize disruptions. AI is also applied to forecast traffic demand at individual sites, enabling more efficient capacity planning.
In addition, AI-based systems are used to optimize energy consumption by adjusting network resources according to demand. The opeator said these measures have reduced electricity costs in its antenna network by around 10%.
The approach reflects a broader trend among telecom operators to integrate AI into network management, as they seek to handle increasing complexity and support new services.
O2 Telefonica’s parent company Telefonica has recently announced an initiative with Mavenir to create a joint AI ‘innovation hub’ to integrate AI into the “evolution of core networks”. The new hub will emulate “production‑grade traffic patterns in a controlled environment” – as a “real‑world testbed” – for “AI‑driven autonomous network orchestration, intent‑based services, and AI‑enabled monetization frameworks”. Both companies will use it to test and refine “next‑generation solutions ahead of large‑scale commercial deployment”, it said.
A statement said: “Telefónica and Mavenir will shape new business models, align closely with operational units, and accelerate the development and launch of AI‑native solutions in core networks – firmly positioning Telefónica at the forefront of telecom innovation, service differentiation, and next‑generation monetization.” There was no confirmation of the whereabouts of the new AI hub, but it is presumably to be located in Spain.
Telefónica has also recently claimed “steady progress” in its strategy to deliver fully-autonomous cellular network infrastructure, as defined in its own Autonomous Network Journey project, running since 2021. It has a dozen (12) level 4 use cases, as of the end of 2025 – categorised according to the TM Forum benchmark on network autonomy (levels 0 to 5). Telefónica is on track to reach level 3.75 in 2028 and level 4 in 2030, it said.
